This invention pertains to a clothing combination, which may be advantageously worn by a firefighter, a rescue worker, a construction worker, or an agricultural worker and which utilizes a pair of pants having a waist portion and a pair of suspenders having straps to be detachably attached to the waist portion. This invention provides an improved way to attach straps of a pair of suspenders to a waist portion of a pair of pants.
Commonly, firefighters, rescue workers, construction workers, and agricultural workers wear pants with suspenders, which facilitate donning and doffing. As exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 2,437,714, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,987, and in U.S. Pat. Des. 415,331, it is known to fasten straps of a pair of suspenders around a belt, which is worn with the pants.
As exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,682, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,092, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,516, it is known to utilize hook-and-loop fasteners to fasten straps of a pair of suspenders to other elements. As exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,057, in U.S. Pat. Re. 34,094, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,573, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, it is known to utilize wire fasteners, which coact with buttons on a pair of pants, to fasten straps of suspenders to the pair of pants.
This invention provides a clothing combination, which may be advantageously worn by a firefighter, a rescue worker, a construction worker, or an agricultural worker and which comprises a pair of pants having a waist portion and a pair of suspenders having straps that are attachable detachably to the waist portion. This invention contemplates that the waist portion has a plurality of horizontally extending slots, one said slot for each said strap, and that each strap when attached to the waist portion extends downwardly, through an associated one of the slots, whereupon said strap is folded upwardly and is fastened releasably to itself.
Preferably, each strap when attached to the waist portion is fastened releasably to itself by fastening means separated from a wearer by a portion of said strap. As an example, the fastening means may be snap-fastening means, which possibly comprises metall parts. Alternatively, the fastening means may be hook-and-loop fastening means, which typically does not comprise metal parts. If the fastening means comprises metal parts, which can become hot in a firefighting environment or in another hot environment, the strap portion separating the fastening means from a wearer provides some thermal insulation between those parts and the wearer.
In a preferred embodiment, each slot is defined by a strip of fabric, webbing, or other material, which strip has two opposite ends and which strip is attached, as by being sewn, at the opposite ends to the waist portion. In the preferred embodiment, each strap when attached to the waist portion extends downwardly through an associated one of the slots, between the fabric strip defining the associated one of the slots and the waist portion. In an alternative embodiment, which omits such strips, each slot penetrates the waist portion.